Ma'asei Merkavah
by jjwitdaheydiddydiddy
Summary: Ma'sei Merkavah "Account of the Chariot." With the Black Wings at rest, what could possibly go wrong? Rated M just to be safe.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I own DNAngel... comics. 3-11. Sugisaki owns the rights.

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Prologue:

Two figures, each one faced the other—one of darkness, one of light.

Dark and Krad stood opposite each other within their tarpaulin prison, spaced only a foot apart. All time had frozen, and in the final meager "seconds" of their separate existence, each one pressed back against KokuYokuu's besieging walls for dear life. Desperately, they attempted to overcome the adamant force within the space that pulled them together. The two angels groaned in pain and exhaustion, limbs shaking from the power that overwhelmed them.

Dark unclenched his teeth for only a moment, to speak, "You know… that we can't… keep this… up for much… longer." Pained grunts interrupted his speech as he tried to keep his mind focused on the present task. "We're… too tired… from the fight… " Krad huffed slightly in defeat. "I know… we're just… delaying the… inevitable…" "Well, then… what… are… we waiting for?" The blonde smirked ruefully; his piercing gaze boring deep into violet irises. "Let's just… get this… over with… Mousy…" Dark nodded, closed his eyes, and heaved a ragged sigh. "Ready?" Krad closed his own feline eyes, and his permanent smirk disappeared. "Yeah." "On three…" The blonde nodded curtly. "One… two…" Each man sighed deeply, and stared into the other's eyes. "…Three…"

Their eyes shut tightly, and their hands came away from the walls. With the force of a thousand cosmos' destruction, the two separate beings were pulled from their respective sides. What was only, in reality, a millionth of a second, had felt like an eternity. Each one could feel the other coming closer, and each one feared what was to happen upon their collision. In the blink of an eye, in a sudden, violent eruption of light enveloping darkness, and darkness conquering light, the two angels were smashed together by the unyielding force of the Black Wings. The two halves of one soul, that had been separated centuries ago, were whole once more.

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Yes... I started another story. But! In my defense, this one's almost done. I'll be posting a chapter a week, until either I run out of new material, or I finish. (hopefully, I'll finish it first.)

This isn't a _terribly_ long story... and yeah, the first few chapters are going to be short. Painfully short. But, I broke it up like that on porpoise. Dramatic effect, and all.

So, yeah! hope y'all like it!


	2. Not doomed to these short nights

Chapter One: "Not doomed to these short nights for aye…"

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Waves of sound crashed violently through the overcast midnight sky. Lightning shot like spiders' webs across the aerial landscape. A pair of lapis eyes watched with fascination at the raw force of the Earth. After some time, it was as if one of the wayward bolts of light had split the thunderheads open, as they released a torrent of rain upon the small seaside town.

The deep blue eyes were torn away from the window to flick about the candlelit room. A heavy sigh passed through rosy lips and denim eyes, as a graceful hand turned over one of several precisely laid cards. _Temperance_. Those lips set themselves into a frown. The hand ghosted over to the final hidden card, upturning it. _Judgement_. There was a frustrated sigh. "You think I don't know?" This was spoken directly to the cards. "I don't even know why I bother with this whole divination thing—I already know…" She said this to herself. "I guess I just prefer to live in denial sometimes…"

A distant thunderclap could be heard as she turned again to the wide window. Her breath hitched with a groan, and a shiver ripped through her body. She brought a hand up to rub her eyes. "It's begun…" She sighed again, turning her midnight eyes to the distant seashore.

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The title was taken from Thoreau's poem, "The Moon."

It's short. Trust me, I KNOW! But they'll get longer, I swear! They're short for ambiance!


	3. Into the Maelstrom

Chapter Two: "Into the Maelstrom"

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The Black Wings floated silently in the abysmal depths of the Azumano Art Museum's sub-basement, much as it had these past four hundred years. And this night was no different, until—

–_KRA—HAAAGH!–_

And with a bright beam of light, the painting was cleaved in twain. The mighty, glowing split through the centre pulled outward, the fracture shattering the remains of the curséd artwork. A most deafening sound emanated from the site, yet it sounded like nothing at all. The light wrested the fragments back into the centre, and it was as though a neutron star had exploded into supernova, and then a black hole. From the aura, at the very heart of the maelstrom, a human-like figure began to form. It took on bodily characteristics—limbs, torso, hands, hair… then a face, and soon, the beating of a heart, and the breath of life. Within seconds of the form's first breath, the light died, and a human body collapsed to the cold stone floor. It let forth heart-wrenching screams, as it gasped for air and writhed in pain.

After several minutes of suffering, the creature soon calmed, and the pain slowly ebbed away. The first thing it was aware of, once it had stilled, was the coldness of the bedrock beneath him. The next, was the eerie sound of lone footsteps as they echoed through the empty hall. When the being opened its eyes to look, all that could be seen was darkness.

The footsteps continued closer, and the creature began to panic. It was still too weak to move, but nevertheless tried to crawl away from the oncoming sound. Relying entirely on instinct, it perceived this sound as danger.

Only a couple of minutes passed, until a faint glow could be seen from the staircase. The being's eyes widened with fear, and it backed up even more. Another figure rounded the corner, the bright glow effusing from a crystal pendant dangling from the figure's neck. This darkly cloaked figure was clearly female, with piercing eyes and olive skin. She kept up her placid pace until she stood just before the humanoid being on the floor. Said creature stilled, the fear ceasing all instinctual reactions to flee. The mysterious woman knelt down, and placed a hand on the being's cheek. "KokuYokuu…"

Russet-brown eyes blinked, and all fear left the Black Wings in an instant. Her eyes softened, and she smiled warmly. "Mitaah—ka hägh oudonak." ('_Come along—you'll be safe with me_.') She reached out her hand to grasp that of his. He could feel a significant amount of energy being transferred to him through her skin, and he was able to stand under his own power. Once he was up on his feet, the woman released his hand. She raked her eyes across his naked form. "Toun ha-turaanandara…" ('_Now that won't do…_') Lifting her power hand, she made a motion to the darkness, and almost instantly, she held a long, woolen, hooded robe. She handed it to him. "Aodaha mitu. Set nomvuli deh-ksti—hägh redidālee ma dtuhtom." ('_Put this on. It's still raining—you'll catch your death out there._')

--

The pair stood for a second before the large, dilapidated house. It looked abandoned. The woman took the lead, opening the front door for the angel. Upon entering, he was amazed—it looked new, like it had been built yesterday! She closed the door, and hung up her cloak. "(_The outside is spelled so nobody suspects anything. I also have a thought-barrier cast around this property so people won't try to come in here or tear it down or anything. I should get you something more comfortable to wear._)" The Black Wings blinked, and nodded.

She flicked her wrist, and the room was suddenly alight. He blinked, amazed. She sensed this, and shot him an over-the-shoulder glance. "(_One of the many perks to being one of the world's most powerful sorcerers. I literally only have to lift a finger to do anything._)" He blinked. It was the only thing he was able to do. "(_Hmm… it doesn't seem like you're fully capable of conscious thought, yet… well, rest will help that._)" She grasped his wrist gently, turning to him. "(_If you think that light trick was something, you're not gonna believe this._)" And that was when she literally teleported them to the spare bedroom.

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Awesome. Chapta three!! Told you they got longer. The next one will be a bit longer than this.

I... suppose you're wondering about the italics 'n' stuff. Well, KokuYokuu can only speak in this... bizarre astral language (that I made up, but it's all gibberish), but as you can see after the break, I only have the italics, representative of the language, because it's messy and annoying and... disruptive to the flow to have it like I did at first. with the words and then the translation. until the fourth chapter, it'll be like that so it'll look like they're speaking... "english"... but it'll actually be whatever the hell _that _crap is. so yeah.

reviews make me happy! PLEEEEEEEAZZZZZZEEE!!


	4. Hell Hath no Fury

Chapter 3: Hell Hath no Fury

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KokuYokuu opened his eyes to slats of sunlight settled across his face. He blinked, and groaned, rolling over so that his face was stuffed into the pillow. '_What—what happened?_' It began with a slight pang, then the feeling of being ripped in twain bombarded the angel like a tsunami… and it gave him a terrible headache. He whimpered, a nauseous feeling growing in the pit of his stomach. Not enough to make him want to vomit, but just enough to make him feel uneasy. Something was wrong, he realized, and the pain in his head escalated. It felt like his mind was breaking in two.

From the study, Ciara could sense his pain. She cast her lapis eyes to the ground in thought, and she released a breathy sigh. With worry filling her mind, she clapped her book shut, and teleported to the angel's bedroom.

He moaned from the throbbing in his temple, and Ciara sat down on the covers of the bed. "Yokuu…" She stroked his hair, and he turned to look up at her. His russet eyes were pained and frightened. She shushed him, and put a hand to his forehead. Casting a small enchantment, his pain suddenly vanished, leaving him panting. "(_Better now?_)" He nodded. "(_You are capable of conscious thought?_" He nodded. "(_Your memories have returned? Both of Dark __and__ Krad?_)" He looked confused. "(_Who?_)" She sighed, rubbing her eyes with both hands. "(_Never mind. Dammit! I was hoping we'd have more time—I didn't expect them to start diverging so soon. I need to prepare. We have to do this tonight._)"

His eyebrows knit together. "(_Do what?_)" He managed to croak out. She slid her hand over his dark copper hair, a match to his eyes. "(_Separate you. Before they tear yourself apart._)"

He blinked, still very confused. Ciara rose from the mattress. "(_Come on… you must be hungry._)" He nodded, following her down to the kitchen, questions left unanswered.

--

Half an hour later, with their hunger sated, the pair stepped into Ciara's storage room. KokuYokuu stood near the doorway while the sorceress rummaged about. "(_I know it's around here… somewhere…_)" He glanced around at the many interesting and strange-looking objects that lined the shelves—talismans, crystals, tools, jars filled with, what appeared to be, herbs… A certain item caught his eye, and he moved to pick it up. It looked like a collar, or a necklace. He reached out a hand, and grasped it gently. As soon as he touched it, a jolt of electricity shot through his arm, forcing a scream from his throat. He ripped his hand away, falling to his knees. Ciara turned to him, startled. "Yokuu!" When she rushed over, she noticed the Cinch had fallen to the floor. She picked it up, and stared at it. "(_Did you touch this?_)" He nodded with a whimper. "(_Don't touch this again._)" His eyes narrowed. "(_How come you can touch it?_)"

Ciara placed it back onto the shelf, and stood. She held out her hand, helping the angel to his feet. "(_Because it wasn't made for me, it was made for Krad—to control him if he ever got out of hand. It's a right nasty piece of Hikari art, too. Even with all of _my_ power, I can't destroy it. So I keep it locked up and warded, so it doesn't fall into the wrong hands._)" She sighed. "(_I have no idea if it's ever been used, but the second that I'd learned of it, I sent Dark to fetch it for me._)"

The Black Wings' eyes developed an almost indiscernible violet tint. "(_What? Who is this 'Dark' you keep referring to?_)" "(_It—it's not important…just… all will be answered in due time._)"

He hummed lightly. "(_So did you find what you were looking for?_)" "(_Actually, yes._)" She held out a small, blue, crystal pendant, then clasped it around his neck. "(_Its energy won't last terribly long, but it should help keep you together until tonight. You'll need to keep yourself busy for the next few hours. I have to recharge, and prepare for this task._)" "(_Alright._)" With that, he left the sorceress to her work.

--

It was about 8:30 at night when Ciara exited her meditation room. Long ago, she had set up energy barriers around it so that she wouldn't be disturbed by even the slightest outside influence. As soon as she opened the door, she could feel that something was terribly wrong. The witch teleported herself down to the study, cries of anguish assailing her ears. KokuYokuu laid there, on the floor, clutching his head, tears streaming from his eyes. The blue crystal that she had given to him rested just inches from his body, in pieces. She rushed to him, stroking his hair, and casting a ward over him to help with the pain. "(_Yokuu… it's alright… we're leaving now… it'll be over soon…_)"

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Yay! Chapta Fo'! (she _was_ a ho... fo' sho...)

Poor KokuYokuu--being all torn apart by D/K... and he doesn't even know what's going on! TT.TT

The astute person would notice that I made "his" (his-is-es?) hair and eyes brown. Well, way back when, when I first conceptualized this story, I went into photoshop and took the color of Dark and Krad's hair, and just blended them together so they made their own color. It came out as this really pretty auburn-russet-copper-burnt sienna color. So yeah.

Pleeeeeezee (like cheez) REVIEW!! They make me feel like this is all worth it!


	5. Wer Reitet so Spät?

Disclaimer: If I owned DNAngel, Krad and Dark would be permanently "attached" to each other. And by attached, I mean penis.

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Chapter 4: "Wer Reitet so Spät Durch Nacht und Wind?" (Who rides so late through the night and wind?)

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The Niwa family sat in the living room after dinner, enjoying the peaceful night. Kosuke looked at his son thoughtfully. "So, Daisuke, how was—" A sudden knock at the front door cut him off. Confused, Emiko rose to answer. "Now who could that be at this time of night?" She spoke to herself. She swung the door open, revealing an awfully familiar-looking young man with russet hair and eyes, and a cloaked woman whom Emiko recognized instantly. "Ciara!! It's been ages!"

Sparkling blue eyes warmed as Ciara smiled brightly. "Emiko! You were just a little girl when last we saw each other. You've grown into such a beautiful woman!" They embraced lightly, but when they pulled apart, Emiko turned to stare intensely at the man. "And who is this?" Ciara chuckled lightly. "You always cut to the chase, don't you?" "He looks so famil—" "Emiko, who is… it…" As Daiki came into view, tired eyes narrowed slightly and then widened as surprise washed over his features. "Dad, it's—" "Ciara? By God, it's been ages! You still look good for being as old as time itself." She tossed her head back effortlessly and let loose a melodic laugh. "Oh, Daiki, I only wish I could say the same for you!" "Oooh! You haven't changed a bit!" he proclaimed with a huff.

The woman turned back to Emiko. "Well, time is of the essence; we have much to discuss. Yokuu, come along." 'Yokuu? Who _is_ this? He looks like… like…' As they entered the living room, Daisuke and Kosuke turned from their conversation, confusion eminent on their faces. "Mom?" She smiled. "Daisuke, this is Ciara. She's an old friend of the family." "Wait, that's who she is? 'Cause I saw the portrait of her in the vault. But wait—no, it couldn't be her. That was one of the earliest known Hikari pieces, wasn't it, mom?" "Not Hikari, young Daisuke, but Hinrhawah."

"_Ke-GRAaah!"_ "Yokuu! Damn it, there's not much time!" "What? Ciara, what's going on?" She knelt by Yokuu, who had collapsed to his knees, and attempted to lessen his pain. "There's no time to explain. I need both tamers. Where is the Hikari—Satoshi, isn't it? Where is he? I need him to come right away." "He should be at home. I'll call him right now!" Daisuke was up in a flash, running off to call his blue-haired friend.

Emiko turned to the sorceress. "What is this all about? Why do you need them? And _who. Is. He?_" Ciara sighed heavily. "Alright. I guess I have some time until the Hikari boy gets here. This is about the Black Wings." "The Black Wings? But… it was sealed! The curse was broken!" "Yes, it was. But you and I both know how unpredictable that work can be. After it was sealed, I had a feeling that something like this would happen." "What? What are you talking about? What do you mean 'something like this would happen'?" "Well, this…" She gestured to the russet-haired man on the floor. Emiko furrowed her brow. "…the Black Wings. Well, I've been calling him Yokuu, but 'Black Wings' is his proper name."

Three sets of eyes enlarged, addled by this notion. "What? You mean that _he_ is…" "Yes, he is both Dark and Krad." "But how? How is this possible?" Ciara's gaze acquired a certain distance as she hummed thoughtfully to herself. "This is possible because of the nature of the painting. Not only that, but it is also because of the curse. You see, because of the curse, Dark and Krad were disconnected for a very long period of time. Over this time, they were forced to develop full human-like personalities. And though they continued to feel drawn to each other—because of the permanent void which exists in each of them, where the other belongs—they became separate individuals, unable to exist as only one. Therefore, when they were sealed and rejoined, the combination of two full beings (as opposed to two halves) overwhelmed the painting. In order to preserve itself, the Black Wings took the last of its magic and formed itself into 'Yokuu,' here…" She gestured again to the auburn-haired male, whom she had helped onto the couch.

"So…" All eyes flew to Daisuke, as the boy rounded the corner into the living room. "…_He_… is the Black Wings?" Ciara nodded. "Yes, he is. But he can't live like this. I have placed a temporary charm on him to alleviate some of the pain, but… Dark and Krad are literally tearing him apart. We have to get them separated as soon as possible. Which is why I need you and Satoshi. And, your basement, if I may, Emiko." "Of course." "_Mai-i te-etele kauri dthokolu._" "_Kreela mou teata rish lo kepahya._" "_Knokodahonai?_" "_Cīta. Mest klhicthlu trstatsta._" "Wait…" Ciara turned to Kosuke. "Oh! That's right, you can't understand us. You see—Yokuu can only understand this magical language—the one that Dark used for seals. He has no recollection of any human tongue. "So what were you saying?" "Oh, nothing. He just wanted to know what was going on. I told him that we were waiting for the Hikari tamer."

_Speak of the Devil, and He will appear…_

The front door knocked for the second time that night, signaling Satoshi's arrival. "Oh, good! That must be Hiwatari!" The redhead jumped up to let his friend in. Ciara's eyes narrowed. "Hiwatari? What—oh, that's right, he was adopted by that insufferable man." As Satoshi walked into the room, Kosuke couldn't help but notice brief the golden flash that overtook Yokuu's eyes. "Well that's strange." "_Knokodahonai?_" "_Cīta._" "Who is _he_? And why am I here?" Ciara sighed again. "Well…"

--

Satoshi blinked, not entirely understanding what was just said to him, but could not question a thing. It only makes sense that his ancestors would create something with no possible way of knowing its full potential.

Without warning, a loud cry erupted from the russet-haired man on the couch. He shook, violent tremors overtaking his body. He tried to suppress his screams, but it was too much. Dark and Krad were tearing him apart. "Yokuu!" Ciara knelt by him, and took as much of the pain as she could. She stood quickly, pulling him up with her. "We can't put this off any longer. This has to happen now! Wing masters—follow me. Emiko, Kosuke, Daiki—I'm sorry, but you must stay up here, for your own safety." She stopped Emiko before she could protest. "They'll be alright—I just don't want any of you harmed by possible backlash." The sorceress gave her a smile, and led the trio to the basement door. With a flick of her wrist, the door was unlocked and flung open.

--

Emiko sat, her eyes fraught with anxiety. "I hope they'll be okay…" Kosuke settled next to his wife, circling his arms about her shoulders. "They'll be fine. Ciara knows what she's doing. If it wasn't for her, there might not have been a Niwa line left." The brunette woman hummed lightly, nodding her head. "I know… but that's not going to stop me from worrying."

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ooOOOOooh! The plot thickens! ... ... ...not really. It's longer! And getting closer to the big exposee... but not for another chapter or so. This is a bit of a filler (whatarip!). And it's a day earlier, because last week i posted a day late.

The chapter title comes from "Erlkönig"/"Erlking" by Goethe.

Please review, my few but treasured readers!


	6. This is a sharp Medicine

Disclaimer: I do not own--DN.Angel--If I did I--Would be filthy rich, in my Ca-ar...

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Chapter 5: "This is a sharp Medicine…"

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Ciara led the two boys down to the ritual space, and without blinking, lit every candle. She set KokuYokuu in the very middle of the room on his back, and placed her hand over his eyes. "(_Sleep now, Yokuu—your pain will end soon._)" She stood, and beckoned the two boys over to her. "You, stand here, you, here. Take my hands, form a circle." They did so, and with the continuity, she cast an impenetrable energy barrier around them. "Alright. Now, Satoshi, you stand here—don't move, don't make a sound. Call to Krad when I tell you, but only with your mind. Daisuke, you stand here, and do the same, but to Dark. I need complete concentration for this—errors could be disastrous."

The sorceress stepped back from the redhead. The Black Wings lay in the very centre of the circle, and near the outer edge stood Satoshi to his left, and Daisuke to his right. The two boys faced each other, forming a straight line with KokuYokuu that sliced the circle into perfect halves. Ciara stood perpendicular to this invisible line, so that the angel's feet were the closest part of him.

A long couple of minutes passed, and then the two wing masters noticed the vibrations of the circle beginning to rise. The perimeter itself began to glow, and soon they were surrounded by light. It was difficult to see what was happening, but the boys could vaguely make out a collection of energy forming in front of them. It looked like the light was being pulled toward two areas. Satoshi snuck a glance over to Ciara. She stood completely still, with her arms out, and her palms facing the two masses of energy. Her eyes were completely blank, and it didn't look like she was breathing at all. On her palms, he could faintly see some kind of glowing glyph, or seal—enclosed in a circle. He didn't remember seeing them before the ritual.

His focus returned to what was happening in front of him. The energy was even more concentrated now, and almost looked like a liquid. He wondered where all of the energy could be coming from, if neither he nor Daisuke was dead. Then he realized that she must be drawing it from the Earth itself, which is why she needed this ritual space—being underground has the advantage of putting you directly in tap with the Earth's power.

Neither boy knew what she was doing, until several minutes into the process. She was creating their bodies. They watched, amazedly, as she sculpted them—bones, tendons, organs, blood vessels, tissues, muscles, and skin. Facial features, next, and then hair, and finally, feathers for their wings. She pulled one last surge of energy to make them blood and other essential fluids, and suddenly, the immense power ebbed away, and the newly formed bodies levitated inches above the ground, blocking the boys' view of KokuYokuu's body which still lay in between them.

Daisuke and Satoshi sat in awe of what they had just seen, and were startled when the woman spoke. "Daisuke, Satoshi—I need you to start calling to them, now. Don't stop until I say so. Keep your focus. Just call to them." And so they did. And Yokuu began to scream in his sleep. They were horrible, unbearable screams, as the souls of Dark and Krad polarized, and were drawn to their respective tamers.

Ciara focused on the angel, and drew more energy from the Earth into herself. A moment passed, and as the boys called to their other halves, she could see a clearly-defined line between their souls. She took a deep breath. 'This is it… I've done it before, I can do it again.' The sorceress brought her hands up, drawing the combined soul from Yokuu's body, killing him. In a matter of seconds, she was able to separate Dark and Krad's energies, and she quickly attached their souls to the new bodies. "Stop calling them."

And they did. She lowered Dark and Krad to the floor, laying them down, and creating clothing to keep them warm. There was a brief, almost blinding, flash of light, and when it cleared, Yokuu's body was gone. In its place, there was a transparent crystal rose that reflected every colour of the spectrum. She then fed the remaining free energy back into the Earth, and dissolved the protective barrier. With a gasp, she collapsed, and the two boys rushed over to help her. "Ciara, are you alright?" She smiled weakly. "Yes, I'm fine—it's just been so long since I've used that much energy. I just need to rest. And so do Dark and Krad… bring them upstairs for me, would you? I'd teleport them, but… I… just…" She never had the opportunity to finish her sentence. She'd passed out.

--

When Emiko Niwa heard the door to the basement opening, her husband sat in amazement—never had he seen a human being (or cheetah, for that matter) move so quickly. She ran up to her son. "Dai, honey, are you alright? What happened? Did anything go wrong? Where—" "Mom, it's alright! Everything's fine!" She looked behind him to the Hikari boy. He was carrying the unconscious sorceress on his back. She panicked. "Oh my god, what happened?! Is Ciara alright?" "Yes, mom! She's just tired, that's all. Oh, dad… we're gonna need your help."

The brunette woman glanced back at Kosuke quickly, then turned to Satoshi. "You can bring her up to one of the spare bedrooms. Dai, hon, go with him." "Alright, mom. C'mon, Satoshi, it's this way."

By this time, Daiki had joined his daughter and son-in-law. "Hmm… I wonder what we're going to find down there…" "Well, Daisuke said that he needed my help…" The three made their way down to the ritual space. Emiko froze in her tracks. "They're…" "Amazing! She was able to construct bodies for them?" "I knew she was powerful, but _this_… this is nothing short of miraculous."

Kosuke leaned down to Krad, brushing golden hair away from his eyes. "I wonder what she used for raw materials… Yokuu's body is gone." Emiko picked up the crystal rose in the centre of the room. "Hm…" She turned to watch as her husband hoisted the blonde angel up onto his back. "He's actually a lot lighter than he looks."

Twenty or so minutes of jostling later, Dark and Krad were tucked into a bed in one of the spare bedrooms, as was the sorceress who had rescued them. "I guess we'll have to wait until she wakes up for an explanation…" "Well, I really must be going now." "Oh, Satoshi, you can stay the night—can't he, mom?" "No, no… I have some things to take care of—for work. And we have school tomorrow." Daisuke resigned. "Okay. Then I'll see you tomorrow."

After the blue-haired boy left, Emiko turned to her depleted family with a wide smile. "Well, tonight sure has been eventful, hasn't it?"

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Chapter 5, and something's happened! Whooooh! It's taken forever to get up to this point, but it's almost at the (which I consider to be) the best part of the story--the explanation!

The chapter title comes from Sir Walter Raleigh. It is part of what he said on the day of his execution to his executioner, of his axe. The whole line is: "This is a sharp Medicine, but it is a Physician for all diseases and miseries." But I'm using the line more as a reference to the fact that she had to split Yokuu apart and... well, kill him... to make Dark and Krad. N stuff...

Please Review! Elmo knows where you live!


	7. What Immortal Hand or Eye?

Disclaimer: who's that Spartan with junk in the trunk? (it's me! it's me!) and who owns DNAngel's copyright? (not me! not me!)

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Chapter 6: "What immortal hand or eye dare frame thy fearful symmetry?"

* * *

Three days.

_Three days_, they slept—the twin angels and the sorceress.

And for three days, the Niwa family agonized—their itch un-scratched, questions un-answered, curiosities un-fulfilled. Ciara woke first, a bit confused, but otherwise fine. Daisuke just happened to be at school, so she had a chance to sober up a bit before she was forced to explain _everything_. In great detail.

Krad and Dark woke up only an hour after Ciara did. And they were absolutely ravenous. Who could blame them? Their full-grown adult bodies had never been fed before. "God, it's like I've never eaten before!" Exclaimed the thief as he gulped down mouthfuls of food. Krad ate a bit more politely, though he was no less starved than his twin. He hadn't said a word since he'd awoken. Emiko just smiled at them from the bar—she was nearly in tears. She turned to the sorceress. "You really are amazing. They're exactly the same! Although Krad's a little less… eh…" "Yes, well, has his own body, now. Though he does seem anxious." The brunette woman nodded. "He hasn't spoken a word, though. Should we be concerned?" "Not yet—he may need a few days or so to get used to this. Dark's so well-adjusted that he just picked up where he left off. For Krad, it's a completely different situation." "Hmm. I see."

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"Mom! I'm home! Satoshi's with me!" His mother dashed around the corner, grabbing the redhead in a fierce hug. "Oh, sweetie, I'm so glad you're home! They're awake!" "All three of them?" "Mm-hmm! Come on, we're meeting in the living room. I made a little afternoon snack for you, so let's go!" She dragged the poor boy with her, Satoshi in tow.

Daiki, Kosuke, and Ciara were all sitting in the living room, and the other three plopped down with them. "Where are Dark and Krad?" "Oh, Krad had to go to the bathroom, and Krad doesn't like to be away from Dark." Satoshi's brows furrowed. "What?" "He doesn't feel comfortable if they're too far apart." "Oh." "So does that mean—" "Daisuke! It's been a while!" Satoshi saw a flash of purple tackle the redhead. His eyes went immediately to Krad, who was following closely behind Dark, chewing on his lip. He seemed different, calmer. He also looked very nervous. Dark released the Niwa boy, and Krad unconsciously held on to his arm. "Oh, they're not talking in that weird language anymore." "Yes, that's because they have reverted to their pre-sealing forms, whereas before, they were in their pre-summoning form." "Oh. Where'd their wings go?" "Ah—a simple charm. Their wings exist mainly in the Astral plane, but can take on physical form with enough magic. They're still there, just not in the human realm—where they are cumbersome and quite the oddity to the viewing public." "Oh."

"Now, come on, you two—sit." The two angels settled, Krad still clinging to Dark. "I guess I can answer all of your questions, now." Kosuke turned to the sorceress. He took a deep breath. "Ciara. I'm curious as to what your role is in all of this. How is it that you know about the Hikari/Niwa feud, the Black Wings, and Krad and Dark? How do you know my wife and her father? And how is it that there is a portrait of _you_ that is over four _hundred_ years old, and you haven't aged a day since then, **much less** lived that long? And _how_ could you _possibly_ create life from naught but air?"

She blinked before sighing, then replied. "Well… I guess I should start from the beginning. I was born in Perthia, in a rural village located in the present-day province of Razavi Khorasan in Iran, in about… 13 BC. When I was eleven, I think, I was playing with some friends in a field, and without meaning to, I set one of them on fire; though nobody knew it had been me. They thought that he had been punished by God. After that, I began to notice that I could levitate objects. Or, if I wished for something—like rain, or a piece of fruit—it would just appear with a flash of light, and I would feel a bit tired afterward.

"No one had ever witnessed any of these things. I never told anybody—it was strange, bizarre. I would have been outcast, or worse, banished. One day, though, my sister saw me conjure a flower into my hand from nothing, and told everybody what she'd seen. I was terrified when they confronted me and forced me to show them what she had seen. I told them that she was lying, but when they all came after me, my fear triggered my powers, and I sent them flying back with a large shockwave. When they looked back up at me, I was floating three feet in the air with a crackling blue aura around me. They thought I was evil, and tried to kill me. So I ran away and went East.

"I was thirteen by the time I made it to Xiongnu (now Mongolia). There, I met my Master, who was three hundred and forty-seven years old, though he didn't look a day over twenty-five. He saw my power immediately, and declared that I was one of the 'chosen ones.'" "'Chosen ones'?" "Yes. You see—every human being is born with the potential to use magic. For most, however, they never develop the ability to use it. There are a scarce few who possess the ability to use magic. Then there are those who can not only use magic, but they can harness the full potential of the Astral Plane in order to perform amazing feats of sorcery. They are said to be the incarnations of true angels. And, in true angelic fashion, when their powers are fully developed (usually sometime during their twenties), they stop aging completely. Unless they are killed by murder, suicide, accident—basically any unnatural means—they will not die."

Everyone in the room save for the two angels and Ciara herself had astonished looks on their faces. Daisuke spoke first. "That's amazing! So you're over two _thousand_ years old? Doesn't it get boring? Or lonely?" She hummed lightly, with a sad smile playing on her lips. "Yes, it does. My master informed me that because of who we are, the 'chosen ones' are unable to conceive. I could never have a family of my own, and any relationships I entered would have to be short-term. I know I could never take that kind of heartbreak." "But what about your Master? Did you and he—" "Oh, no. He was my _Master_. He was more of an older brother or a father figure to me." "Oh. So… what happened after he told you that you were a 'chosen one'?"

"I trained with my Master. For fifty years. Even though by the time I was twenty-two or so, I had stopped aging, my Master continued to teach me to hone my abilities. He also taught me different languages, martial arts, exposed me to other cultures, and told me of the few other 'chosen ones' that he had met with around the world. Tragically, when I was seventy-seven, he was killed. He was visiting Emperor Ming of Han for his yearly consultation, but was killed by a fatal head wound in a failed assassination attempt. I was devastated, and I became desperately lonely."

"That's so sad! So what did you do after that?" "I traveled. I went all over the world, and for about eight hundred years, I met and studied with sorcerers, shaman, monks, priests, and any other of the 'chosen' I could find. There is one in Egypt whom I visit with periodically. He's been alive since Hatshepsut constructed the Temple of Karnak, if you can believe it! In fact, He was one of her advisors.

"In the Ancient World, in cultures where magic was a part of everyday life, the 'chosen' were considered 'high counsel' individuals, who were important, direct liaisons between the King and God. But after the fall of Rome and the Christian take-over of Europe, we were forced into hiding. The few who lived in this part of the world fled to the Orient, the Pacific, and the Americas, where magic was still utilized and respected. I chose to stay in Europe, moving whenever I felt that suspicion of my age and origins would get me burned at the stake, crucified, or tortured."

Kosuke interrupted her. "That's… I mean no disrespect, your story is amazing… but, what is your connection to us?"

"Oh. Yes, well… at the beginning of the second millennium, I found myself in Italy. There, I learned of a family of healers who hailed from Yazd, a province in Iran about three hundred miles from where I was born. They were the Ḥinrhawah. After meeting with them, I discovered that this family of humans had the ability to use magic. However, they had little training. I took it upon myself to teach them to utilize their magic properly, and to its fullest potential. Each of the Ḥinrhawah had their own particular talents. Some were adept with music, or soothsaying, or clairvoyance, whereas others were unable to use magic at all.

"I noticed, over the generations, that the family, with its size, was becoming divided. It began to look as if they were two separate clans. As time and generations progressed, it showed that one unifying trait possessed by each respective side defined the divide. On one side, there were the artists, whose magnificent work was a testament to their impressive talents and the ability to assimilate art and magic. On the other side, were those who possessed the power to seal, banish, and exorcise. These individuals also possessed the power of prophecy.

"The family, though divided, was still fairly unified until certain situations arose. Some of the artists began using too much magical energy in their pieces. The 'spirits' of the pieces started to cause problems. The sealers were concerned, as some of these 'spirits' began to threaten innocent people with their power. The artists saw no problem with this, as they were so caught up in the beauty of their work. The sealers soon became angry with the artists for allowing this kind of danger to persist, and the artists became angry with the sealers for trying to destroy their work. The anger between the two sides was so great that they broke away from each other and formed two clans: the Hikari and the Niwa."

Everyone in the room looked surprised. "So… _that's_ how it happened? That's how the feud started?" Ciara nodded. "Yes. The feud began because the two sides of the Ḥinrhawah could not cooperate. They did not understand each other. So, they broke apart. This occurred about… five hundred years ago. About a century before the Black Wings was created." Kosuke looked at her. "I had no idea that this story was so complex." "Yes. There are many facets to this situation that not many people know about." Emiko spoke up, "That's true. I didn't even know that they were originally one family." Ciara nodded. "Yes. That's because both families were a bit ashamed of it… and because they were so angry with each other, they decided to forget about it—to bury it deep within the past. But I would never forget it. They were my family. The family I could never have."

She sighed. "But I digress…" She took a deep breath before continuing the story. "The Black Wings was created four hundred years ago, as all of you know, one hundred years after the original clan split apart. By then, the Niwa had established their place as art thieves and sealers of the dangerous magic housed therein. I kept in close contact with both families—they saw me as a neutral party, though over time, the Hikari began to cut me off. Eventually, I became more of a Niwa fixture, as they were in constant contact with me.

"Anyway, about the Black Wings. There was a young man, a Hikari, by the name of Maiel. He was an astonishing talent, even for a Hikari. When he was thirteen, he began work on a large painting. It was to be of two angels, one light, and one dark, mirror images of each other, symbolic of the contrast and unity of light and dark in nature.

"For several months, he worked fastidiously on it, never getting it quite right. One day, he met another young man, just about his age, maybe a couple of months younger than him, by the name of Remi. They became fast friends, and were nearly inseparable. Until the day that Maiel introduced him to his parents, and they informed him that Remi was a Niwa. Furious, they forbade Maiel to see him again. In order to ensure that he did not meet with Remi in secret, he was always accompanied by either his parents, or someone of his parents' choosing. In his anger over being separated from his best friend, he was finally able to finish the painting—but not without instilling some of his anger into it.

"The painting was a sight to behold, and the spirit was to be activated on the night of Maiel's fourteenth birthday. It was a large ceremony, with nearly every Hikari in attendance. I was there as well, but I had been invited mostly for tradition's sake. I had been in very close contact with the Niwa, and I knew they were planning on stopping this activation before something bad happened. They could feel the potential danger in the Black Wings, and their seers had prophesized calamity if something was not done to stop it. That was one of the reasons I chose to attend—in the event that something went wrong with the ceremony.

"The ritual began smoothly, with Maiel at the helm, pouring magic into the work, and summoning the spirit to inhabit it. About halfway through, the Niwa that had been sent to stop the ritual appeared out of nowhere, dropping from the ceiling, and interrupting the ceremony. Remi was there, in the party, to gain experience in what would be his life's mission. When Maiel saw him, he became angry. He thought that Remi had betrayed him—because if Remi were truly his friend, he would not be there to steal and destroy the work that he had struggled with for so long. His rage and frustration poured into the painting unconsciously, activating it suddenly.

"The room shook, lights plunged from the walls, and a horrible sense of dread fell over the crowd. I could feel the immense power of the Black Wings. I could hear its screams, and I finally realized how dangerous it really was. The spirit that he had chosen was a volatile one—unstable on its best of days. As this spirit emerged, an explosive energy escaped, and I had no choice. I had to do it in order to save the soul of the Black Wings and to save the lives of everybody in the room.

"With a great amount of concentration and magic, I split the Black Wings into Dark and Krad. I knew that, as half-beings, they could not survive on their own. To save them, I attached one to Remi, and one to Maiel. In doing so, I sealed most of the destructive power of the Black Wings, and the painting fell silent. After this, I instructed the Hikari to hide it somewhere where it would not be disturbed—someplace safe, where nobody would find it accidentally and re-activate it. I told them to wrap it, to shield it from the eyes, and keep it chained and under a seal.

"After the Black Wings incident, the Hikari never spoke with me again. I kept track of them with my power, but they wanted nothing more to do with me. Once Krad had emerged for the first time, they became enraged with me for burdening them with this curse. The Niwa were not so sure of Dark at first, but became overjoyed when they found out what Dark was capable of, and that he would be incredibly helpful with their family's work. I was very disappointed with the Hikari family's reception of Krad. And I am still quite angry that both families turned Dark and Krad against each other. I had an ulterior motive in attaching one to each family. I had hoped that the Black Wings could bring them together again, but I soon realized the mistake I had made. Their anger toward each other ran too deep, and it was too easy to take advantage of the half-spirits."

Dark interrupted her. "So wait, how did you decide which one of us would go to which family?" Her eyes shifted to the side. "Well, to be honest, there really was no decision. I didn't have the time, so after I split you two apart, I sent you to whichever family member was the closest. Remi and Maiel were standing in front of the painting, so I chose them. That wasn't the only reason—I knew they had been friends, so my hope was that they could help unify the families once more. As for who went to whom, Krad happened to be on the left side, and Maiel happened to be on the left, so… Krad went to the Hikari, and Dark went to the Niwa."

Dark stared hard at her. "So… I… if it had been reversed…" "Yes. I'm sad to say that your lives could have been very different if they had just been in opposite positions." "Hm. So it could've been _me_ that was brainwashed by the Hikari." "Now Dark, that's not fair. _You_ were brainwashed by the Niwa, and you allowed it because your survival instinct took over. It is likely that the same thing happened with Krad." He fish-mouthed for a few seconds, but said nothing. The blonde remained silent, squeezing the other's arm a bit in his discomfort. "Look at him, how he clings to you. I am certain now, that Krad is the receptive half, though traditionally, darkness is receptive. The original separation must have been awful for you, Krad—and I'm eternally sorry for that. It drove you to madness, having Dark ripped from you like that." He eyed the sorceress warily, scooting even closer to his other half. Dark looked down, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and stroking his hair. "It's alright, I'm not going anywhere."

"I also didn't know that you would pass on throughout the generations. I had no idea what attaching you to a person would do. Like I said, it was a split-second decision. I didn't have time to look into the future, to think about possible consequences. I just knew what I had to do, and I did it. I'm not saying that I don't regret some things, or I don't wish some things had happened differently. I'm just saying that I did what I had to do."

"That was certainly an… interesting story." Satoshi was speechless. But Daisuke piped up. "Ciara…" "Yes?" "…You said that you joined Dark and Krad to each family, hoping that it would unify them once more…" She looked perplexed. "Yes… I did hope that. Why?" Red eyes found the silent blue-haired boy on the couch. "Well… I was just thinking… maybe you got what you wanted after all." Ciara furrowed her brow. "How so?" "Well, Hiwa—Satoshi-kun… is the last of the Hikari. And he and I are friends. And after all we've been through together… I'd like to think that we're really good friends… maybe even best friends…" Satoshi turned to Daisuke with wide eyes. "You—do you mean that, Niwa-kun?" Daisuke beamed. "Of course, Satoshi!" "I… never thought you considered me that good a friend. I mean… I was always so cold to you, and…" "It's okay, Satoshi. I understand why you had to be that way… but you tried to protect me and stuff, and you helped save me from the Toki no Byoshin, even though you tried to distance yourself from me." Ciara hummed lightly to herself. "Hmm. I guess, in some bizarre, convoluted way, my plan sort-of worked."

Everyone had smiled as Daisuke and Satoshi talked. Except Emiko, who spent the whole time looking very put off. Kosuke turned to his wife. "Emiko… can't you just let it go? It's silly to keep up the feud." The brunette woman sighed. "I… I just… it's hard. All my life, I've hated the Hikari. And now I find out that it was just because of some petty differences. It-I just… I'll try. But… it's hard, Kosuke. It's just hard." He kissed her on the temple. "I know, but… it's over now. It's all behind us."

* * *

YAHOO! it's finally out there! i'm giddy, because i love it so much!

Dark seems a little... oc, but it's because he feels some measure of pity for Krad. that, and Krad's not trying to kill him. but anyway...

The title comes from "The Tiger" by William Blake.

Please review!! And I shall bestow upon thee a most gracious blessing of prosperity, and strength, and the ability to communicate with fish! (Fonziebepraised!)


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